World Vision Job Opportunity

For Children.  For Change.  For Life.

Today, I saw an advertisement in the newspaper that they had openings for their mall fundraising teams  in World Vision.  I desperately applied even though I had no sales background and technically even fundraising.  I think I sounded a little aggressive in my cover letter but I was willing to give it my all.  If they'd just call me up for an interview, I'll show them how passionate I am.  I have much to say and have much to advocate to fit it all in the cover letter.  This passion cannot be contained in an 8 1/2 x 11 inches of bond paper. I'd have had to take out even the margins and use the back page too! 

Anyway, they had an interesting form to fill in their job page.  They had a question at the end asking what was my motivation.  I answered:

"I came from the Philippines where poverty is widely seen and pitifully...ignored.  From a very young age, I have met parents and children who live just to survive.  Children forced into labor and sadly having dreams hindered by their educational attainment.  I have probably not seen all the hardships in the world but I have seen enough to know that I need to do something.  Right now, as I start a new life here in Canada, I want to do something I know I love - that is helping people."

Too much?  What do you guys think?  Well, I just hope that they do call.  If they don't well...then...I'll just try again!  Ha!  That ain't the last they've heard of me.

Just be you...

You learn something new everyday.

If there was one statement that could greatly describe how I perceive this new life I'm trekking, that will be the quote right above.   Somehow, with all the foreign things surrounding me, I can't help but feel like a kid.  Getting out of your comfort zone has never been this extreme!  Believe me. There are what we call basic "awkward~" situations where you get a little uncomfortable. But with simple and basic socially awkward situations at least more or less you are self-aware of the comfort endagering situation.  You have at least a marker on this one.  You know, like crossing the imaginative line of personal space or going out of your house gate when you were still a child.  Think about leaving that marker and venturing out into an unknown place, where people speak different languages and everything just seems so...NEW!  Right now, after all the nerve-wracking (and not to mention painstakingly humiliating) awkwardness I have been secretly carrying on my back, I have reformed to being a child.  So socially awkward sometimes that I have no care if I have acted rather ridiculously - like a child telling a green joke by accident.

The thing is immigrants like us are welcomed here in Canada and being awkward is fine.  Hey nobody is perfect!  You can't be all good at mingling with people right away.  But you can try.  Just try and try and eventually you'll get better.  Like a baby learning how to walk.  You have to risk falling before you actually learn.  And I bet that didn't just happen overnight.  You had to learn how to turn over first, sit unguarded, stand with the help of furnitures and practice letting go.  You can't just skip it all.  Take risk and be awkward.  Be you.  Afterall, you're building relationships so as much as possible honesty must be present.  They may find you weird at first or ...well, I can't think of anything except for weird so we'll just go with that. That's just how it is!  I tried to talk "casually" as soon as I got here and woah...you wouldn't believe how excruciatingly awkward I was to those people I have talked to.  I stuttered, mumbled, went out of topic and in the end I was talking in one word descriptors.  Talk about desperate communication right?   Nevertheless, I tried because I know that that is the only way to go.  I'm glad I did strike up those childish conversations though.  I can say that I have gained confidence in speaking and the stuttering is almost gone. My flightiness is a little hard to deal with but I think I can manage that through PGH style modification.

Hooray for Sir Jerry and Ma'am Ai~!!!  Thanks for straightening me out when I was still in Ward 7.   It's a great help now.

So view everything like a child - without prejudice and malice. I bet you'll find the world a better place.  Let me tell you it is easy if you try.  Just let His wisdom guide you (or you could just go with the weather topic.  Yes, it always works.)

Tutoring Kids

After four months of staying here in Canada, I have decided to take on a new volunteer experience that is somewhat related to occupational therapy.   Tutoring kids with learning disabilities!  I saw the advertisement made by the Learning Disabilities Association of British Columbia - Fraser South (LDAFS) in the newspaper and decided to call them up a month ago.  Truthfully, I have filed for two (2) volunteer jobs but the other one was pushed back in November and I didn't know the status of my application in Red Cross.  In the end, I decided to go for this one first as Miss Kenny Leung of Red Cross has told me that I could re-apply again when my availability changes.  Red Cross needs two weekdays to make things work but things just didn't work out.  They were very kind to call me after a week (Miss Leung was out of town when I called). They don't plan to give me up and I don't plan to give them up either.  

Day of interview (was too early so I took some pics)

So after the information night, I went for the personal interview and passed!  Yey!  The interviewer told me that I don't have much foreign accent and that that is an asset I certainly can bring to the tutoring.  That perked up my self-esteem.  You know, to have someone tell you your good points is very reassuring.  I told her though that sometimes my Filipino accent does come out when I am really nervous.   After that, she told me to work a little bit on my printing (writing) because I will have to teach kids how to write too!  Hahaha  assertiveness at its finest!  At that moment, I thought to myself, THIS IS MY GOAL!  She has mastered the art of assertiveness.  Anyway, I just laughed internally.

Henceforth, training was conducted once a week every Saturday for three weeks.  Everyone got to introduce themselves again like how we did during the information night.  The people I've acquainted with during that day had varied reasons on why they wanted to volunteer and mysteriously, I felt a sense of belonging.  Kind of funny aye?  Different people from different places with varied stories at their backs come together to advocate literacy.  Upon realization, I almost cried.  Belonging has certainly been a feeling I have not sensed in a long time.  The luxury of friends has yet to come and although I know they are just acquaintances...somehow it just felt right.

(And the free muffins are awesome too!  Hooray for free food!)

Individual guidebooks given to tutors 

My nametag on the left and just a little picture of the guidebook

Last week, I decided to finally get my Criminal Record Check at the police station.  I worried that they might have a body check so I decided to do it at last minute.  That nasty bruise on my right antecubital area has finally receded!  Yes!  Thankfully, they did not have a body check as I imagined they would.  When I told them the story, they laughed  hahaha!  Oh and I also met someone who was jailed for 72 hours when I was waiting for the bus.  He was pretty happy about being let out.  Good for him :)

Getting my Criminal Record Check from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police

Tomorrow is my first day of tutoring and I certainly hope to make a good impression on the kids.  Preparing some stuff for rapport can never fail you :)  I was thinking of doing magic tricks like Jess would.  Going to pack up on confidence too!

If you have time please do check out their site and learn more about their advocacy!

LDAFS logo (@^-^@)